Paint It Black
by LolaWednesday
Summary: Prequel to Negan's Vice, although you don't need to have read it. Alison had thought it was going to be a quick visit to see her sister who was sick in hospital. She couldn't have been more wrong, but with the help of Shane and the other surviours, what will become of her? Rate M for language and mature situations in future chapters
1. Chapter 1

**A/N/ Here's the first chapter of my new story, you don't need to read Negan's Vice for it to make sense but if you have I thought it'd be a good way for everyone to get a better feel for where Alison can from. (Also I just love Shane lol) I'm sorry it's not that long but I hope who ever reads it enjoys it :)**

Chapter 1

The heat of the summer sun beat down unrelentingly onto the small camp, all the inhabitants sweating prefusely no matter what they were doing. It was just after twelve the worst time of the day to be caught out in the heat.

"Hey legs! Come 'ere for a sec." Shane called out in his gruff southern accent, sweat dripped down his face from under his blue cap. "Let's go for a walk." He wasn't asking and had alrady headed off into the wooded area where the stream they collected water from was.

"Yes _officer._ " Alison mutter throwing the rag she'd been using to clean a pan down into a bucket of water. "Not like I was doing anything." Despite her grumbling she followed Shane into the woodland and only stopped when his well built form halted. "What's this about Shane?" Alison already knew what it was about, what it was always about. Him and Lori. It was becoming painfully boring for Alison to be the only one who knew about their sordid little get togethers, she cursed the day she'd taken a stroll and found them both grunting in the undergrowth.

His handomely rugged face showed seriousness, he was not in the mood to argue when it was as hot as it was and he was as tired as he was. Keeping everyone alive was not an easy task. "You know very well what it's about."

"Stop there Shane," Alison pointed a finger in Shane's face. "What you do is your business, I haven't said a word to anyone have I? So please don't drag me out here to tell me to keep my mouth shut or whatever variation of that you were going to say." Lowering her hand she sighed and spun on her heel. "I have jobs to do."

"I'm sorry." He called to her retreating back. "Listen, I know it's not easy on you. I don't know what I'm doin' legs. Well I know but she don't." Alison had stopped walking and Shane took that as a sign to continue. "Ya still my main girl, I promise you that legs." His face creased into a crooked grin. "Don't be mad at me."

"I'm not fucking jealous Shane!" They had been a one time thing, a one moment of weakness. Alison had needed comforting and _she_ had sort it from him, that's all it had been and all it still was, so it was slightly offending to her that he thought she was pining over him like a teenage girl. "I don't care if you go to her tent instead of sleeping in yours with me. I am just sick of the looks and the secret talks that I'm dragged into because of it. It's _nothing_ to do with me."

Inspite of the burning heat and overwhelming amout of sweat the both of them were producing, Shane pulled Alison into his strong arms and was pleased when he felt her muzzle into his chest. "I 'ppreciate everythin' you been doin' to keep this hush."

Alison wasn't stupid she knew it was a messy situation, Lori had a young boy who'd lost his dad and probably wouldn't appreciate his mom moving on so quickly. And it was damn quickly, in Alison's opinion way too quick and considering it was his dad's bestfriend that just added insult to injury. Alison never raised her thoughts on the subject, not wanting to risk being labeled jealous, but she believed Shane could do better than be some womans rebound. Wiggling free of Shane's hold, Alison mopped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. "Glen and his band of merry men will be back in a few hour I imagine, lets go back now." A small smile crept onto her face as she felt his large hand entwine with her smaller one as they walked back up to the camp. Shane was without question her best friend now, everything she'd known and loved was gone and even if it wasn't it was all the way back in Melbourne and she doubted there were any flights heading out any time soon. Shane had promised to keep her safe and so far he's kept that promise.

"Shane, where you been?" Lori asked the moment the pair walked into the camp sight. "I was worried."

Alison snorted, if Shane was looking for the green eyed monster he needed to look no further than the woman he was having adult sleepovers with. That was not her problem though, casting an amused glance at Lori Alison returned to her previous task of cleaning the pots and pans.

"Why does he call you legs? Your name is Alison." The curious sound of Sofia said from the chair beside Alison. "Is your surname Legs?"

"No," Alison laughed handing Sofia a wooden spoon to scrub at. "It's a nickname, like when I call you Sof." She watched as Sofia's young face scrunched in confusion. "I'm going to let you in on a secret. Men are really confusing." This made Sofia laugh and Alison was satisfied she'd satisfied the little girl with her answer, it didn't seem right to tell her it was because she had long legs and really it was quite sexist -not that it bothered Alison, it was more a sign of affection from Shane now.

"I swear it gets hotter every freakin' day." Amy moaned flopping down into one of the camp chairs. She'd been collecting fire wood for the evening for the past hour and her face was a bright shade of pink. "Why couldn't we be by the sea?"

"Sipping mojito's." Alison added to the fantasy. "With butlers!"

The two women burst into fits of laughter, while Sofia looked on confused. It was a long time since either had laughed properly and the rush of endorphines felt unbelievably good, for a moment it masked the true horror of the world around them. In that moment they were just two people camping and having a joke. But every good things that happened it came to a shattering end, loud yelling and scuffling burst their happy bubble in an instant.

"Shane!" Alison yelled, scrabbling to her feet as quickly as she could. Over by one of the cars Shane was ontop of Carol's husband Ed beating the life out of him, other surviours watched on screaming for Shane to stop but he just carried on with his unrelenting assult.

"You put your hands on ya wife, or ya little girl, or anyone else in this camp I will not stop next time." Shane grasped Ed's bloodied face forcing him to look at him. "Do you hear me?" His voice dropped. "Do you hear me?! I'll beat ya to death Ed." With one last bone shattering punch Shane heaved himself off of the man and scoffed when Carol ran to him.

"What are you doing Shane?" Alison yelled after him. "I'm talking to you asshole!"

Shane's face was dark with rage as he spun to face Alison. "You tryna' tell me that woman beater didn't deserve that?" Marching over to Alison he began yelling again. "I will fuckin' kill him if I catch him doin' that shit again. A man doesn't hit a woman."

His southern accent was deeper than Alison had ever heard it, he's never been this mad infront of her before and had she not grown up with alcoholic parents the burst of anger might have shaken her. "His daughter was right there Shane!" She screamed back undetered by his anger. "Think before you act you fucking idiot!" Without warning she brought a fist down into his chest knocking him back alittle, the murderous glint in his eyes faded and Alison was pleased when he smirked at her.

"Leg's now who's gettin' violent? Practice what ya preach." He said with humour. "I'll speak to the little girl, promise."

"Come here." It was useless staying mad at him over what really was intended as a good deed, but the splatters of Ed's blood on his face couldn't be ignored. Lifting the bottom of loose t-shirt up to her mouth, she wet it with her salivia before bringing it to Shane's face and wiping the blood away. "You look like a maniac."

Lori watched the little exchange between the two, her eyes narrowing to slits. Alison was like a huge thorn in her side which wouldn't dislodge its self. Her and Shane weren't officially a couple and in her heart she knew it wasn't going to last but that didn't mean this woman could come in bare her stomach for all to see and dote on him like a damn school girl. Lori needed Shane, she needed Carl to have a father figure and Shane had always been like that even before the world fell apart. Everyone though Shane and Alison had a 'thing' going on and that only infuriated Lori further. Pushing it all to one side Lori went about starting dinner, the rest of the group would be back from Atlanta soon and they would need a good meal.

"Legs you best not take up all the tent tonight." Lori heard Shane chuckle, that meant she was alone tonight. Something she dreaded.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N/ Wanted to quickly say I'll be following the TV show not the comics, but things won't be happening exactly as they do in the show :)**

Chapter 2

 _The world had gone mad. The hospital was in carnage, the hallways were filled with screams and the floors were slick with fresh blood. It was like being on the set of a Hollywood blockbuster, except this was real, this was happening, no one was going shout cut and everything return to normal. In all her training as a nurse Alison had never seen anything like what was happening; Tori had been sick for a few weeks now and only hours after Alison touched down in Atlanta and arrived at the Harrison Memorial Hospital in King County her sister had passed away. Her whole world had come crumbling down, the only relative she really had was now gone and she was positive life couldn't get any worse at that point. How wrong she had been. In minutes Tori had sat back up and sprung on the attending nurse like a rabid animal, the spray of blood from the nurses neck covered the room and Alison as she quickly backed out of the room and shut the door behind her. At that point she noticed the decaying state of the hospital around her, patients acting exactly how Tori had rampaged through the corridor's latching on to doctors or visitors, anyone they could get hold of. Running on survival instinct alone Alison ran as fast as her legs could carry her through the maze of corridors, trying her best to avoid all contact with the sick people. Her sprint came to an adrupt end when she collided with a hard body and the end of pistol was shoved in her face. "Please don't shoot!" Alison begged raising her arms. "I'm not sick!" Somewhere down the corridor the loud shots of multiple gun fire sounded and made her scream.  
_

 _"Keep up!" The dark haired man yelled over the gunfire, taking her hand in his and keeping his gun raised with the other. "I'll git you outta here."_

Alison shuffled uncomfortably in the small tent not used to having someone to share it with. Beside her Shane lay facing away from her on his side, she could tell by his breathing he wasn't asleep and it didn't shock her he couldn't. That evening when Glenn had returned from Atlanta on a supply run he'd brought a new comer back with him, except he wasn't new he was Lori's dead husband, very much alive. "Shane?" Alison whispered into the dark tent, but she was greeted with silence. "I know you're awake."

Shane rolled onto his back with a deep sigh. "Ali I'm not in the mood." He snorted lightly rubbing his hand through his thick hair. "I thought he was dead. I swear it. I..I listened for a heart beat an' nothin'...nothin'."

"No one blames you Shane. You probably saved that man's life." Alison said, it was all the comfort she could offer him, she didn't know the history well enough to formulate a proper opinion all she had was the snippets Shane and Lori had told her since she met them. "What happens with Lori?" The question didn't need answering, Lori had made it clear the second her husband walked into the camp she still loved him and what ever had been going on with her and Shane was well and truely over.

He was quiet amount before he gruffly replied. "What 'bout Lori?" The hurt was evident in his voice no matter how hard he tried to mask it.

It was like treading through a mine field navigating the conversation, Alison wanted him to be honest about how her felt, she wanted to help but he also had one hell of a temper on him when it was sparked and the last thing the camp needed was a slanging match at stupid o'clock in the morning. "You've still got your main girl though." Alison teased jabbing him lightly in the ribs which earnt her a hearty laugh.

"You are a damn pain in the ass woman."

She gasped in mock outrage. "Pain in the ass am I? Because you're a real joy to be around." Again she dug at his ribs making him jump in discomfort. "Mr Macho Officer Man, look at me I'm so broody, oooo!"

Shane laughed at her impression of him, batting her hand away from his torso and unleashing a tickle attack on her. "I do not even slightly sound like that! Mrs Pu' Some Shrimp On The Barbie 'Fore A Gattor Git's It!" She squirmed and giggled under his fingers, spurring him on. "Surrender!"

"Never!" Alison squealed between fits of giggles, they must have been making a fair amount of noise as the zip on the tent went down and Lori's unimpressed head popped into the tent halting Shanes's attack and Alison's laughter.

Lori's angry eyes flickered between the two, the predicament they were in flaring up her jealousy. "If you don' mind my son is tryin' 't sleep, as are me an' my _husband_." She enphasized the last part enjoying the hurt that washed over Shane's face. "Keep the noise down."

Alison's eyes shot between where Lori had been stood and Shane's serious face, she felt like her Mom had caught her with a boy in her room as a teenager. "Well shit." A new wave of laughter burst from Alison, the awkwardness of the situation was so comical to her and it didn't take long till Shane was laughing with her.

"Ya real pretty when you laugh, ya know?" He brough one of his hands up to her soft cheek and stroked it in small circles. "Well ya pretty no matter what, but 'specially when you laugh."

There was a noticably shift of mood in the tent this was no longer playful. "Shane." Alison didn't think any part of this was a good idea, she was not prepared to be anyone's rebound but that didn't stop the rush of arousal shooting through her as his breath tickled her neck. "You're hurting, you need to stop before you do something you regret." Her protests fell on deaf ears, Alison was practically rendered immobile as Shane shifted his weight on top of her and canted his hips into her, she could feel he was already hard as he rubbed against her and she gasped at the pleasurable sensation the motion caused. As he sucked and nibbled at her lobe, Alison forgot herself and arched against him. From somewhere behind them the sound of a throat being cleared stopped anything further.

Rick crouched in the tent opening, his eyes wide with uncomfortable embarrassment; his was open like he wanted to say something but the words wouldn't form in his throat. Shane lifted his weight from Alison and they quickly untangled themselves, Shane sitting up and Alison trying to hide the deep shade of red her face had turned.

"What can I help ya with man?" Shane asked, completely unfazed at the position he'd just been caught in. It wasn't the first time Rick had found him with a woman, in fact this had been pretty tame by old times standards.

"Can we go for a little chat?" Rick asked avoiding looking at Alison who was clearly completely morified.

Pulling on a t-shirt, Shane started shuffling towards the tent door. "Sure man, give me two secs to git me shoe's on." With a nod Rick retreated from the tent, leaving Shane and Alison alone again. He could sense Alison's embarrassment, the fact she was humoured him greatly. Here was a single twenty-seven year old woman doing something perfectly normal and she was blushing like a school girl. With his boots now on and laced, Shane turned his attention back to Alison. Leaning in close and dropped his voice, the southern drawl practically oozing with lust. "This ain't over." He smirked as her breath catched in responce; it was going against every fibre in his body leaving the tent, all he wanted to do was give her a fucking she'd never forget but Rick needed him and seeing as he left him that hospital, apparently for dead, the guilt overrode his arousal.

Alone in the darkness Alison let out the breath she'd subconciously been holding in. She wasn't the least bit surprised at how easily Shane brushed the situation off with Rick but she didn't want to be thought of as Shane's 'bedtime buddy'. In the harsh times they were presently in it didn't serve well to be seen to be given preferential treatment by the person leading and keeping the group alive. The last thing Alison wanted was people turning on her. The soft murmer of voices could be heard outside of the tent, she assumed they were talking about the guns and Merle. It had been explained over dinner that whilst saving Rick in Atlanta, they had lost a large cache of weapons and left Merle chained to a roof top. Alison had no problem with Merle, he was a sexist, racist pig but she found him funny and in a weird way uplifting to have around. The younger Dixon had taken the news as to be expected, and Alison couldn't bame him, if it had been Tori up on that roof she would want to go get her but logically the odds of Merle being alive were slim.

When the noise of the zip being pull sounded, Alison quickly pretended to be asleep not ready to face Shane. But apparently what ever conversation he and Rick had been having didn't go well because once inside of the tent he just lay down in his spot and turned away from Alison.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The day progessed at a lazy pace, and before Alison knew it was midday. Rick and his band of merry men had left for Atlanta early to collect the guns and rescue Merle from the rooftop where he'd been chained.

"How could he be so damn irresponsible!" Shane grumbled for the millionth time, his contemp for the situation still not ebbing.

Alison couldn't stop her eyes from rolling, and smirked when Shane caught the action. "Oh please don't act like I hurt your feelings, it's all I've heard out of you all fucking morning." Reaching down she flicked water at him playfully. He'd been a raincloud all morning, not getting over the fact Rick had chosen to go to Atlanta instead of staying with his family. "Anyone would think he was your husband."

"Very funny Leg's." Shane retorted with humour. "Yer sure ya not rilled up 'cos I never got round to givin' ya a seein' to this mornin'?" A grin spread widely across his face when Alison's face blushed a deep shade of scarlett. "Ali, am I makin' you blush?"

With out warning, Alison kicked up her leg soaking Shane with the cool streams water. He was always so damn smug about how women saw him and it infuriated Alison to no end, sure he was a good looking guy and he had a heart of gold but did he really have to be so smug about it all the time? "Officer, you seem to have been caught of guard!" She teased kicking more water in his direction, but her moment of self-satisfied confidence was coming to an all to sudden end as Shane advanced on her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "No Shane! Shane! Don't you dare!"

"Oh no girly, you asked for this." Shane growled, wadding through the water to where Alison was paddling and grabbed her round the waist hoisting her over his shoulder making her squeal in shock loudly. "You ready?"

"Shane no!" Alison screamed between fits of laughter, she knew exactly what his plan was and she was anything but ready. The cold water hit her skin with a stinging chill, even in the midday sun the stream remained cold as ice and being submerged into it was a massive shock to the system. "Shane!" Alison screamed as she broke the surface and gasped for air and from the cold. "You ass!" Beside her in the water up to his shoulders aswell, Shane was laughing madly. "You're a dick, you know that?"

"Didn't realise yer was such a baby Legs." Swimming closer to Alison, Shane grasped her waist again and threw her up into the air, laughing as she squealed coming back into the frigid water. "Yer mad baby?" He mocked, latching onto her ankle so she couldn't swim away from him.

"I hate you." Alison said with humour, lightly splashing water into his face. "What are we going to wear for the rest of the day now our clothes are soaked?" Things around camp were relatively tight, clothes that were apocalypse approriate were some what hard to come by which meant that everyone was limited to only a few items each and with roughing it and walkers clothes didn't have a long life expectancy. "I don't have anything else Shane."

Shane raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Don't think many men here will complain 'bout you not wear not nothin'"

"In your dreams, _Officer._ There's no chance you'll catch me running around naked in the apocalypse." Alison was sure she could borrow something of of Amy or Andrea until she had dried out her own clothes, she and Amy had quite a good relationship, not quite a friendship yet but it was heading in that direction. "Shane, what are you doing?" Just like in the tent Shane's demenour had clearly changed from being playful to something that would make most womens legs quiver. The hold he had round her ankle was slowly sliding up her leg and Alison could only watch Shane's face, her mind unable to move her body.

"Shane! We been wonderin' where you been!" Lori yelled from the shore, breaking the intense moment building between the pair. "What are you doin'?"

It would have been clear as day even to a blind person the dislike Lori had for Alison; it didn't bother Alison that she didn't like her it just seemed unfair as she'd given Lori no reason to hate her, apart from Shane. Apart from the occasional flirting their relationship was one of friendship, during the beginning of the outbreak Shane had kept her safe and alive and Alison had relied on him heavily, as had Lori and Carl. From their first meeting Lori made her feelings for Alison obvious and when she and Shane had began their sordid affair that she'd turned positively atric towards Alison.

"Don't you have jobs to be doin'?" Lori scowled as her eyes raked over Alison's drenched form. "You and Shane can fool around later can't you? What if the kids had seen?"

Although she knew she shouldn't, Alison was unable to pass up an opportunity to rattle Lori's cage abit. "I'll head back up now." With slow, determind purpose Alison began the ritual of peeling off her wet clothes, revelling in the undeniable outrage etched across Lori's face. Left in only her underwear she scooped her sodden clothes up into her arms and sauntered back towards the camp. Even without turning back Alison could feel Lori's eyes burning holes in her as she left them by the stream. Alison one. Lori zero.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The fire crackled in the cooler evening air. The group that headed to Atlanta still hadn't returned yet but the camp was in generally good spirits, Carol had cooked up a delicious meal and their bellies were full for the first time in a while.

"Can you not do that infront of my son."

Bringing her lighter up to the tip of the cigarette, Alison inhaled deeply and blew out a large cloud of smoke. "This is the least of that boys worries." Popping the cigarette between her lips again she took another drag, firmly making the point that she would not bow down to Lori's demands. In usual circumstances Alison would have never smoked infront of a child, in fact she had quit but what was the harm now?

"Shane." Lori snapped expectantly waiting for Shane to jump to her defense. "Well? Do you think she should smoke infront of Carl?"

Alison quirked her eyebrows at Shane in disbelief.

"Don't drag me in to your cat fight." He replied with a chuckle, rubbing his hand over his head.

"Cat fight!" Lori yelled indignantly. "I just don't want my son getting cancer from _her_ cigarettes. You know Rick would agree."

Alison had had enough of Lori's superiority complex, why should everyone at camp jump to Lori's beat? Her dark eyes fixed on Lori full of contempt. "Well Rick isn't here, is he? If you don't like it. MOVE."

"Ali." Shane admonished, warning her not to start a fight with his eyes.

"Shane." She replied sweetly, smiling like she'd missed the undertone all together. It was one of Alison's favourite games to wind Shane up, they did it constantly to each other to see who could have the upper hand for the longest amount of time. It made the days go quicker. Like a child Alison stuck her tongue out at Shane before flicking the butt of her cigarette into the fire and turning to Lori with a look that said 'are you happy now?'.

Beside her Amy got to her feet and moved away from the warmth of the camp fire and towards the RV. "Where are you going?" Andrea, Amy's older sister, said a hint of worry evident in her voice.

"I need a pee," Amy insisted spinning to face her sister with arms raised. "Can't I get a little privacy around here?"

Watching the two sisters made Alison miss Tori even more, they had been so close their whole life. Family life hadn't been simple for them growing up in Melbourne, that was one of the reason Tori had moved over to America she'd found a man who really loved and cared for her and there was no way Alison was going to let her stay in Australia just for her. She was the eldest and protecting her little sister was her job and by supporting her move she protected her from their abusive, useless parents.

Amy complaining there was no toilet paper broke Alison from her reverie. Then the screaming began.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N/ Sorry for the long wait from the last chapter but I was moving house and I've only just had an internet connection today. Hope you enjoy this chapter though :)**

Chapter 4

"You weren't here man! I told you!" Shane yelled erratically at Rick, dead walkers surrounding his feet. "I was here! I saved your family again!"

It had all happened so fast Alison's brain was still processing what had happened; the walker had bitten Amy first, as she came out from the RV no one could have seen it coming and then they just kept coming. "Shane, enough. Please."

The first thing Shane had done after the walkers had been taken care of was lay into Rick for leaving for Atlanta, beside his Dad Carl's young face looked terrified and upset.

"Ali, he left his family _again_! He's only been here two seconds." Turning back to Rick, Shane lifted his right hand and pointed at Rick. "What if they'd got Carl?"

"But they didn't, they had you protecting them." Rick calmly countered, trying his best to subdue his friend.

Shane scoffed loudly, his arm dropping. "Yeah _I_ was here." He said before disappearing into the nearby wooded area, the argument clearly over.

"I'll go get him." Alison sighed and followed in the direction Shane had wandered in. It was always down to her to defuse Shane, not that she minded too much, but with Lori and Rick there it seemed more fitting that the two people who had known him the longest should be settling the issue. Lori was quick enough to jump in the sack with him but she wanted to part in any other aspect that was part of a relationship. "Shane?" It was already dark at camp but in the heavily shaded woods the darkness seemed like a thick black smog that was impossible to see through. "Shane, this isn't funny!" Alison felt the cold trickle of panic begin to set it, only moments ago walkers had ransacked camp-killing people- and now alone in the forest Alison began to wonder if following Shane alone had been such a good idea. "Sha-" The scream that erupted from her stopped her before she could finish shouting Shane's name.

"Jesus Legs! Wanna scream any louder?" Shane exclaimed with humour still holding Alison where he'd grabbed her by the waist. "Someone 'll think I'm killin' yeh."

"Fuck you, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Alison admonished, slapping at his torso wildly. "Can you come back to camp please? We don't need anyone else becoming walker snacks tonight."

Shane let out a deep laugh, his large arm wrapping around Alison's shoulder. "Don' let the others hear you sayin' stuff like that, see I think it's funny. They won't."

Any positive feeling or uplifting energy had vanished from camp the moment the walkers had attacked, instead of being huddled around the warm glow of the camp fire people were gathering up the dead bodies and burning the remains. Alison's gaze fell upon Amy's lifeless body as Andrea craddled it, sobbing to herself. She would miss Amy, the two had been automatically drawn to each other being close in age and as time had began to pass they were really beginning to build a solid friendship, something that Alison was desperate for.

"Jim's been bit," Rick announed at Shane's return to camp. "We should head to the CDC, they might be able to help us."

Alison didn't need to even look at Shane to know his responce to Rick's idea. For weeks Shane had been running the idea of moving up to Fort Benning, he believed it would be a safer place to set up camp. And until Rick's return this had been the plan. Silently, she slipped her thin fingers between Shane's holding onto his hand and squeezing gently. He had a temper, Alison knew that -everyone knew that- but she'd learnt that with someone on his side he was far more mellow, but as Alison watched his dark features for a reaction she realised since Rick's arrival he'd been anything but mellow.

"Let's go scout the woods, make sure there's no more walkers about."

Shane nodded in response, shaking Alison's hold and followed Rick into the dark woods.

"Alison, we need to talk."

Alison audibly groaned at Lori's words. This was the last thing she needed right now, another joyous talking to from Lori forbidding her from telling anyone of the nasty things she and Shane got up to. "This is not the fucking time Lori." Hissed Alison in a low voice, the last thing anyone at camp needed was to accidently over hear about Lori's insignificant problems when their loved ones lay dead on the ground. In an attempt to end the conversation before it cold start, Alison walked past Lori to the tent she and Shane shared and grabbed his jacket.

"I swear Alison, if you keep disrespectin' me like this..."

Angrilly Alison spun to face Lori who had followed her undetered. "You'll what? There is nothing you can do to make my life any worse Lori." She briefly stopped to tie her long blonde hair into a messy ponytail. "I however can make your life _very_ difficult. I don't think your husband would be too happy if he found out you had fucked his best friend." Again Alison paused, this time to slip her arms into Shane's warm jacket. "Multiple times in fact. So it wasn't exactly a one time mistake, was it?"

Lori's face scrunched in outrage. "You wouldn't do that 't Shane." The brunette reached out grasping Alison's bicep and pulled her in closer, her voice dropping. "We both know you're his little lap dog, there's no way you'd hurt him like that."

If it hadn't been for the walker attack Alison would have made Lori regret ever putting her hands on her, but people were in real distress and Alison just couldn't do that to them. Reaching deep within her self, she pulled the last shred of her self restraint and calmly removed Lori's hand one finger at a time. "If you ever touch me again I will tell your husband and your son exactly what kind of woman you are."

"You don't scare me Alison. I feel sorry for you, pining over Shane when he so clearly is in love with me. It's sad really it is."

"Please continue to give me more reasons to open my damn mouth and out you for the whore you are Lori!"

Lori's eyebrows raise indignantly, the horror that she'd been called a whore shocking her. "How dare you!"

"How dare I?" Alison laughed darkly. "You have strung Shane along the moment you thought your husband was dead, and now he doesn't suit you anymore you're treating him like a fucking cockroach!" She exhaled loudly trying to keep her temper in check, she needed to get away from Lori before she did something she'd regret. "Stay away from me." With out a second look in Lori's direction, Alison walked out into the forest to find Shane. He was the only friend she had now, especially with Amy gone, and she needed to vent regardless of whether Shane did have feelings for Lori or not.

As the pitch black of the woods surrounded her, Alison pulled the coat tighter around her body like a shield. This had been a bad idea, how was she ever going to find Shane, or even Rick? A stick cracked in two under her boot making her jump slightly. " _Fuck!_ " It was eerily quiet, she couldn't hear even if the two men were near by. Shouting was not an option as far as Alison was concerned because if there was in fact still walkers around she did not want to alert them to her where abouts or towards camp. Of there own accord her feet picked up speed as she headed deeper into the trees, they followed a path Alison's mind wasn't even sure of it seemed that panic was just simply driving her forward. A loud rustle stopped her dead in her tracks, whipping her head left and then right Alison could see the unclear silhouette of Shane. His gun was raise and pointing steadily at a target. Rick. The breath caught in the back of Alison's throat as she took in what was unfolding in front of her, Shane was many things but a cold murderer wasn't one of them. With a new determind pace she sprinted over to where Shane was stood, hoping to God he didn't pull the trigger before she got to him. "What the fuck are you doing?!" The gun which had been aimed at Rick shot round to face her, the barrel milimeters from her face.

"Ali! I could 'ave killed yeh!"

"You mean like you were apparently going to do to Rick? Jesus Shane! What is going on with you?"

Inside his chest Shane's heart was pounding like a jack hammer. He didn't know what he'd been doing, it had just happened. "Ali if I'd shot you, I'd never forgive myself. What ever it is you think yeh saw it's nothin' I swear."

"Shane if someone had seen you-" Anything she was about to say was cut off by Shane pulling her tightly into his arms.

"Don' turn on me Ali. I can handle Lori, bu' not you. I promise I would never hurt anyone, 'specially Rick. He's like my brother. Promise me please. Promise."

Alison wanted nothing more than to keep the anger she had from seeing Shane's gun raised at an innocent man, but in the warmth of his arms and hearing the sadness in his voice her anger melted away almost instantly. "I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A large plume of smoke rose from the hood of the RV and made everyone who was near it begin to cough violently, the acrid smoke burning their throats.

"I can try fix it, but it's going to take a little time." Dale explained his head deep inside the engine or the motorhome. "And Jim is not looking good Rick..."

All of the groups eyes shot to Rick watching him expectantly for an answer, they all knew what needed to be done with Jim. CDC or not there was no cure for what was happening to him and with each passing moment they were putting themselves more and more at risk but no one wanted to make the call. No one wanted to decide whether Jim lived or died.

"I'll go check on him." With a disheartened sigh, Rick left the gathering around the RV and stepped inside it closing the door swiftly behind him.

"Plenty of cars about, let's see what we can find while we wait for the RV to get movin'." Shane instructed and motioning at the large amount of abandoned cars that littered the highway; it was where they found most of their supplies, the owners of the cars had no more use for them so it seemed silly to not scavenge what they could to make their own survival easier. "Everyone be on look out though, don' want anyone else bitten." Pulling his pistol from its holster he took hold of Alison's bare arm and pulled her off with him to start looking through a nearby station wagon. "Pair off!" He yelled over his shoulder to the other survivers, there was safety in numbers. "Legs you remember what I told you about shootin'?"

"Yeah, you pretty much drilled it in to me."

At Alison's response Shane held out his pistol and passed it into her tanned hand. "Do not shoot it unless yeh really need to, 'kay?"

Alison rolled her dark eyes at his back, he was always acting like she was a child and not a twenty-seven year old woman when it came to guns or any other type of weapon. "No, no Shane I was actually planning on firing it off into the sky like I was starting a race. I assume that's why you gave it to me." She smiled as he spun to face her with an unimpressed expression on his face, Alison loved winding him up just like he loved doing the same to her. "What? That's not why you gave it to me?"

"Legs you know damn well-" He stopped short distracted by the commotion happening back at the motorhome. It appeared that Rick and T-Dog were carrying an extremely ill looking Jim and propping him against a tree. "Smartest thing Rick's done since he got back."

"Don't be so hard on him Shane, he's only just joined this world remember." Propping herself against the car hood, Alison rubbed Shane's muscular arm softly. "If you want to direct your anger at anyone it should be Lori." Everytime her mind wasn't fixed on a task she couldn't dislodge the image of Shane pointing his gun at Rick, it was something she never invisioned Shane being capable of doing and even though he hadn't acted on the impulse the fact he raised his gun in the first place bothered Alison.

"Don' start with me Ali." He'd been waiting for it to crop up again, the entire ride so far had been completely silent but he could sense she wanted to talk about what she'd witnessed in the woods and right now Shane wanted to forget it had ever happened.

Don't start? Well that was easier said than done, Alison knew for a fact if it had been him who had found her holding a gun at someone he'd talk about it whether she wanted to or not. "Shane you're lucky it was only me that saw that! I think you've changed since Rick returned...I know Lori chose him but honestly you dodged a bullet there." Shane still hadn't looked at Alison, his gaze was fixed exclusively on the scene unfolding back at the RV. She hated how he could just shut down some times, when ever he was in a bad place or something was going wrong he completely shut everyone out and with what she'd seen in the forest this was now making her worry. "Fucking say something Shane, you're freaking me out."

"Ali just leave it okay. You can trust me and I'd never hurt you or anyone in the group for that matter, I was just runnin' high from everythin' that happened okay? Let's go back."

Without giving her a chance to answer Shane was already striding back over towards the RV, leaving Alison still propped on the car dumbfounded. Wiping the sweat that was beading on her forehead with the back of her hand Alison leant back enjoying the sensation of her long hair unsticking from her damp back. God it was hot and Alison was more than used to heat, what with living in Melbourne her whole life, but stuck on the highway it felt like she was sat under a giant magnifying glass. The grey tee she had borrowed from Shane was now darkening in patches from the amount of sweat she was producing. _"Great."_ She mumbled to herself and pulled the oversized top over her head, leaving her in a bikini top she had found a few days before. Alison thanked her lucky stars she had put it on instead of her bra. Screwing the dirty top into a bunch in her hands, Alison dragged her self back over to the rest of the group ready to hear the inevitable news that Jim was dead, or about to die.

"He wants to be left behind." Rick explained as Alison stepped up beside Shane. "We have to honor his wishes..."

The pain in Rick's eyes was almost unbearable to look at, although she didn't know him Alison could already tell this was a man who upheld himself on being a good person and making good choices and even if the decision made here was the right one it didn't mean it was going against everything he believed. "Rick you're doing the right thing, it's what Jim wants."

" _What happened to yeh top?"_ Shane said in hushed tones into Alison's left ear.

Dismissively she waved her hand at Shane in reply, then gave a supportive squeeze to Ricks shoulder before climbing back into the car she and Shane had been travelling in. It might have been childishly petty but if Shane didn't want to talk to her about what had happened then she didn't want to talk to him about what had happened to her t-shirt. If she hadn't been trying to prove a point she would have smiled as Shane predictively followed her back to the car and grumpily slumped into the drivers seat. Remaining silent Alison kept her eyes focused on Daryl's bike which was just ahead of where they'd stopped, she would not lose this battle, if there was one thing to be said about Alison it was she was as stubborn as they came.

"Yeh top Ali, why you struttin' 'round half naked?" Shane demanded, his dark eyes dancing with jealousy. "Ali, I'm talkin' to you!"

Alison rolled her eyes so hard, she feared they might get stuck in the back of her head. _Here we go again._ She cared immensly about Shane, there was no denying that and he cared about her too. Unlike the other survivours they both had no family, no real family, and that was one of the factors that had drawn them closer. But their friendship was a firey one and every good time they shared was mirrored by a catastrophic argument; both were short tempered and proud, unwilling to bend to the other but it was also a large way they both showed they cared. If they didn't argue it was because they no longer cared about each other. That being said in the unrelenting beating afternoon sun the last thing Alison wanted to do was sit in a car hotter than an oven and scream in Shane's face. "Oh now we're sharing are we?" She knew she shouldn't but she couldn't give in, she was too stubborn. Heat or no heat she was not backing down.

"You're like a damn child Alison," Shane bellowed, using her full name to highlight how annoyed he was at the blonde. "Yeh need a little attention huh? That it?"

That struck a nerve and Alison had to dig her nails into the palm of her hand to stop herself from reaching across the car and slapping his face. "Sounds like you might be a little jealous."

The loud bang and honk that sounded as Shane hit his fist down onto the steering wheel earnt the attention of some of the group, curious at what the pair were arguing about again.

"I'm a man Ali, not a boy an' it takes more than a stupid bitch flauntin' her body for attention to make me jealous!"

The force of the slap made Alison's palm sting but no more than Shane's comment had stung her. A small amount of pride rose as his cheek turned an angry shade of red from where her hand had struck him. "I'm not like the women you chase like a lost puppy. Just because you put all your hopes on a slut don't take it out on me." The words dripped like venom from her lips and even though it was ragingly hot outside the car had turned positively frigid.

A sly smirk curved Shanes lips, her reaction and comment giving him everything he needed. Sure the slap had caught him off guard and it hurt like hell but her reaction was priceless, now he knew. "Ali, seems to me like it's _you_ that's jealous."

One of Alison's hands clenched tightly around the soiled t-shirt she was still holding on to; it was an unwritten rule in their arguing that they never brought their feelings for each other into it, it was bellow the belt and up until that moment they had both honored it. "Just fucking drive you asshole."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The CDC was nothing short of a grave yard. Dead bodies littered the grounds and walkers milled around them aimlessly, this was not the right call. The building looked completetly abandoned, it didn't seem there was any lights on and with the vast amount of dead people it was looking unlikely that anyone had survived.

"Shane." Alison said uncertainly, this is not how she had invisioned the state the CDC would be in and she was afraid. "I don't think we should stay here."

Shane held Alison by the top of her arm, leading her swiftly across the parking lot with the others following. "Move fast an' quiet, yeh here me?" He said in a hushed voice stepping carefully over one of the hundreds of bodies getting closer to the actual CDC building. "Rick there's no one here an' no damn way in!" He added in frustration as he examined one of the doors into the building.

"Walker!" Daryl suddenly yelled firing off a bolt into a walker that was ambling closer to the group. It fell to the ground as it pierced into its skull.

Alison hadn't felt so panicked in a long time, not since the hospital and that had been months ago now. It was getting dark and night fall would be upon them soon and being this close to the city at night was not a good idea; most of the undead populated in Atlanta where the people had flooded to but with their food supply runnig out the group had noticed they had started moving out of the city in search of a new food source and here they all were moments away from the city like sitting ducks. "Shane, we need to leave."

"And go where Alison?" Lori yelled, fear evident in her voice as she clutched on to her young son. "We have no food or fuel, you think Shane will get you far?"

"Shut up Lori! I'm sorry if I don't want to become one of the hundreds of bodies laying in this parking lot!" She knew it was unhelpful to start arguing with Lori but this was not the time to start pointing out all the things they didn't have, they all knew the situation was bad and shooting down every idea like the person was stupid did nothing good.

"The camera! It's movin', someone's in there!" Exclaimed Rick his eyes fixed on the small rotating eye of the white door camera. "Let us in! You're killin' us out here!" He shouted at the lens in desperation. "There are children out here!"

"This is useless man, we need to go. Now." Said Shane wrapping an arm around Rick and pulling him away from the grated door ready to leave the CDC behind them. "Come on."

All the screaming and shouting had pulled in a new wave of walkers and even with the men fighting to keep them back they were getting closer and closer to the group. Alison's heart was pounding in her chest as she stuck close to Daryl's side, trying not to get in his way. _This is is. This is how I die. In a parking lot._ She kept repeating the words over and over again in her head, the walkers were closing in and they were reaching a point where there would likely be no escape. "Daryl don't let me become one of them." His head shot round at her quiet words and Alison knew that he understood what she meant, if she was to die tonight she wanted him to kill her swiftly when she turned.

Without warning the door began rolling open letting blinding light beam from the opening; it was so bright that all the survivors squinted as their eyes tried to adjust to the harsh light and Alison raised her hand to block the light from her chocolate eyes.

Rick led them into the building his gun poised ready for an attack the same as the rest of the men. The hallway was significantly less bright that it had intially seemed and as the survivors ventured further into the building the sound of their foot steps echoed down the empty space eerily. "Hello?" Rick called out to a male figure stood a few feet from him, the sound of a gun being loaded carried down the corridor and every armed person raised their own weapon in retaliation.

"Is...is anyone infected?" The figured moved closer revealing himself completely, he was white as a sheet and dark purple bags framed his eyes from lack of sleep, as he wearily approuched Rick he didn't lower his gun.

"No...we lost someone back on the highway." Ever the diplomate Rick lowered his gun first, a sign that he was not in anyway a threat to this man. "Please, we just need a chance."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hot water stung Alison's filthy skin rinsing the dirt and grime that the last month had built up. The fresh water at the quarry had been a decent bathing area but nothing could beat the feeling of scorching water pounding down onto her tired muscles, the tension she'd been carrying was melting away down the drain with the dirt that had saturated her skin. "Have you ever felt so good?" She called out to Carol over the beat of the water.

"I didn't think I'd ever get to shower again!" Carol replied with a laugh from another cubicle. "I didn't realise how dirty I was."

Alison started laughing too as she added a squeeze of shampoo to her blonde tresses. Massaging the suds into her scalp Alison changed her mind about the shower, _this_ was the best feeling in the world. If she died that very moment she would die extremely happy, reaching out she grabbed on of the towels the doctor had supplied them with and wrapped it around her body after shutting the water off. "That ended all too soon."

"I'm never coming out!"

Alison smiled at Carol's child like giggle, she'd never seen the woman smile let alone laugh, perhaps with her abusive husband dead Carol could actually have a better life, as good a life as you could have when the dead rose. Wringing her wet hair out Alison's mind drifted to her parents, she hadn't thought much about them since the end had happened but watching little Sophia around her father had reminded Alison of her and Tori with their parents. Their childhood had been a difficult one to say the least, both thier Mom and Dad were raging alcoholic's who put drink before anything else in their lives even their children. School had been her and Tori's only escape but turning up in old tattered clothes that didn't fit because they'd lost so much weight from not eating and not having the latest toy or craze the other children had made them prime targets for bullying. It was at that point in her life that Alison had chosen to never take shit of anyone; she would physically fight with other children, boys and girls, to defend her and her little sister. She was never going to be anyones victim.

"You can have him." Lori's spiteful voice interupted Alison's reverie and snapped her back to reality. "Shane," Lori continued at Alison's confused expression. "Have my cast off if you really want to."

This again? Alison couldn't help but scoff at what Lori had said as she pulled her now dry tee over her head, as far as she was concerned there was no reason for her and Lori to keep discussin Shane. In all honesty Alison was growing bored of hearing his name. "Lori I have nothing to say to you about Shane, or me for that matter." Stopping briefly to pull her jeans over her hips and slip her feet into her tattered boots, Alison plowed on before Lori had a chance to go further with her point. "I fucked him once. Once. It happened and it's done, not that it's any of your business. Now can you please go play happy families with your husband and leave me the fuck alone?" A triumphant smirk curved her full lips at the hurt feeling on Lori's face, she'd been holding back the fact she had indeed slept with Shane for a moment like this and she was so glad she had. The devil inside Alison urged her on to take one last dig at Lori before she left to join the men for some food and drinks. "I'll let him know you're still thinking about him when I see him later." With an all too feminime smile she winked at Lori before exiting the communal bathroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N/ Thanks so much for the review TS-19 I'm glad you like Alison :D I'm sorry an update has been so long, but I hope it was worth the wait. Let me know what you think :) Happy reading**

Chapter 7

It seemed the drinks had been a bit too free flowing when Alison entered the mess hall to join the guys for some food and alcohol; the doctor had laid out an impressive spread for dinner but from the state the men were in it appeared they had been more interested in the liquid side of dinner. "You guys should be embarrassed," Alison laughed sitting at the large table beside Daryl. "You hold your liquor like a bunch of girls."

A chorus of loud laughter erupted around the table at Alison's words, they were at the stage of drunkness where everything had some comedic quality.

"Good lord you guys are such losers." Taking a large swig from the bottle Daryl had nearly finished, Alison passed it back to him swiftly. Even though her parents had drinking problems it had never stopped Alison from enjoying drinking herself, when Tori had first left for America she had found herself drinking too much and upon the realization she was turning into her parents she had vowed to never let herself get to that stage again so now when she did drink she limited herself to only one drink. Placing her crumpled cigarette pack on the table with her box of matches, Alison coaxed one of the sticks from the box and popped it in her mouth before lighting it with the lighter Daryl held out for her. Good food, a shower and a relaxed cigarette was exactly what she had needed after the hellish time they'd all had but as she watched everyone around the table Alison noticed that Shane wasn't there. "Daryl where's Shane?" She asked quietly so only he could hear.

"Duno," Daryl grunted in reply as he polished off the bottle of Jack Daniels. "Thought he'd gone 't find you."

If Shane had used her as an excuse it left only one person that he would have actually ran after. Lori. Nothing good could come from Shane running back to her on the sly, it was a doomed mission on his behalf from the get go. "I'll leave you guys to it." Excusing herself from the table, Alison darted off down one of the many corridors of the CDC building and began the arduous task of finding where Shane would have cornered Lori. Weaving onto another hallway Alison instantly paused when she heard the distant mumbles of people talking, she was definately close. About to take a step futher she stopped shorted suddenly, what if he saw something that she didn't want to? At this point she wouldn't put anything past Lori and the chance of finding the pair in a compremising situation was a very real option, and finding them fucking in the woods had been what caused all the mess to involve her. Did she really want to run the risk of that all over again if they were having an affair?

"What yeh doin' down here?" Shane stepped out from one of the doors that lined the long walls of the corridor Alison was stood in. "Thought you'd be eatin' with the others." Dark chocolate eyes swept critically over his entire body and came to an end at his own, the disappointment in them almost painful. "Ali hear me out, please."

"No Shane, I'm done here," Alison held her hands up in defeat before spinning sharply on her heel and storming back in the direction she had come from. Behing her she could hear his heavier foot steps racing to keep up with her but it only fueled her anger. It was all too clear what had happened in that secluded little room and if Shane was stupid enough to go running back into Lori's arms then Alison wanted nothing to do with it.

"Ali! C'mon! Stop!"

"I have nothing to say to you Shane." Rounding another corner Alison recognised one of the doors up ahead, it was the shower room, and without thinking veered off into it. There was no question she and Shane were about to argue and considering all the things that she knew and the argument revolved around she thought it best the stop before they got any closer to the mess hall.

"Would you stop with this damn attitude problem yeh have and talk to me!" Shane fumed, slamming the door behind him in rage. The disappointment on Alison's face only made the feelings in him more real, he knew that Lori didn't want him she just didn't want anyone else to have him, he wasn't blind and he could see the way she was treating Alison. "Stop runnin' away like a little fucking girl!"

That got her attention and almost instantly Alison was stomping across the communal shower room at an alarming pace and closing the gap between them. "You son of a bitch," The words were as deadly sounding as the look in her eyes. "You are the dumbest, most pathetic so called man I've ever had the misfortune of meeting. She is using you!"

"Struck a nerve have I Ali? You know nothin' 'bout my life with Rick and Lori so don't come in actin' like you know it all. Anyway you're busy flouncin' round with that Dixon." Shane shot back, taking large strides of his own as the space between them quickly disappeared.

"Oh fuck you! I don't flounce-"

"Fuck me? No Ali fuck you!"

"Go fuck yourse-" Alison didn't get to finish as his lips came crashing down onto hers successfully silencing her. Despite herself Alison kissed him back with as much anger and passion as he did her. She winced as her back slammed into one of the many shower walls but it didn't stop the breathy moan escaping her lips as Shane moved his lips down to her neck.

With expert fingers, Shane flicked open the button on Alison's jeans and watched eagerly as she shimmied out of them quickly. The second she had kicked them aside his lips crushed back onto her full ones and started a new bruising assult, delicious noises slipped from Alison only increasing the fire within Shane, he had to have her now or he'd go mad.

Alison could barely register what was going on, all she knew was that she didn't want it to stop. Although it had been a long time since the two had been together intimately he was not the sort of man you forgot, and as her tee shirt was yanked over her head Alison knew he was not going to disappoint for the second time. Racking her cool fingers under his dark t shirt, Alison peeled it up and over his head and threw it haphazardly somewhere over Shane's shoulder. She could have sighed in relief as he pressed his large chest against her and for the first time their skin came into contact, instinctively her left leg hitch on his waist and she moaned loudly as he pressed his cock urgently against her.

Cupping Alison's ass with his large hands, Shane lifted her from the floor with ease and further pinned her against the wall so he could quickly undo his own jeans and free his aching cock. He let off a growl somewhere in the back of his throat as she dug her nails into the flesh of his shoulders and reached between the two of them to rip off her underwear. With one impatient push he was inside of her for the second time, and he had to steady himself on the wall at the amount of pleasure it brought him. They both groaned loudly as he ploughed into her with the furosity of a jack hammer, his thrusts getting harder and faster each time as he gripped Alison tightly by the ass. A smirk of pride spread across Shane's face as he watched Alison clawwing helplessly at the wall in sheer pleasure, her lips agape as the hottest noises he was sure he'd ever heard poured. She was the picture of feminine eroticisim at that moment, and the drive to mark her and show everyone around who she belonged to was unbearably strong but the sudden spray of water stopped Shane acting on his impulse. "Fuck!" Shane grunted as Alison screamed loudly, her insides squeezed him tightly as she came hard and it was only a few more frenzied thrusts before he emptied himself deep within her.

Gently Shane placed Alison back onto the now wet shower floor and shut the flow of water off, the room becoming silent except for their ragged breathing. Silently he righted his jeans and passed Alison her own from behind them; she huffed at her torn panties before struggling to get her damp legs into the tight denim all without so much as a glance in Shane's direction. "Ali? Say somethin'."

With her jeans finally in place and done up, Alison stepped past Shane wordlessly, scooped up her tee shirt and pulled it on. "If you go back to Lori after this I'll point a fucking gun at you."

Shane laughed loudly, relieved the friendship between them hadn't just been completely shattered. Hooking his index finger under the waistband of Alison's jeans he pulled her into him and kissed her hard. "I do not doubt that," He grumbled breaking the kiss. "Go find us a room for the night, I'm not done with yeh yet."


End file.
